Disclaimer:
– I do not own Final Fantasy VII or its characters. 'Cause if I did… teheee… XD
Warnings:
– Although I like pervy things this is just a little friendship story with a weird Female OC thanks to Akia.
– Also it's the first time I'm writing something in English (Akia don't understand Portuguese and I know nothing in her idiom as well) and I have no English BETA, so I hope you can forgive me for all the mistakes I'll probably make. And if any of you could help me pointing them please do. Thank you! =D
Pairings:
– No pairings…maybe on another fanfic my friends! =)
Sumary:
– A weird Turk and a serious Soldier 1º Class were sent to collect samples inside a mysterious and dangerous place. But as long as he follows her instructions they'll be alright.
…
…
The waterfall sound had changed… No, another sound was added to it.
Coughing and gasping sounds.
His eyes flew open again seeking the source of that new noise. His stomach involuntary clenched as he saw the girl struggling to breathe. And her gasps became a little raged to soon after steady in a normal breathing pace. Her eyes slowly opened.
"Owtch…" She muttered fixing her pained blue eyes on him. "Glad to see you finally calmed down."
It was difficult to believe he wanted to hear somebody's voice so badly. And hers, at that time, sounded like forgiving hands quietly landing over his shoulders. But then he promptly remembered the blood pooling around her. It wasn't an illusion for it was still there.
"You're… bleeding…" The Soldier whispered.
"I'm not." She evenly answered.
"You are." He forced himself to sound firmer. That was not the time for someone to be kidding around.
"I was." She simply corrected.
"But all that blood…"
"What did you expect?" The lazily annoyed tone was back once again. "You kicked and broke my leg." She then pushed part of the black coat out of the way for him to notice. "Moreover! A comminuted fracture at that."
Her leg was indeed on an impossible angle. The left side of her black pants was torn apart so he could see it clearly. Dreadfulness filled his features as he observed skin and muscles in a terrible open wound. The femur was split in two halves with a bit part of the upper half out of the flesh.
"We have to treat it." The Soldier forced his head in a better angle seriously looking at her. How could that person be so calm at that moment?
"No need…" And then the Turk swallowed a pained little sound. "It… already started."
Before he could even thing about asking what had started the Mako green eyes were once again attracted by a little movement in that injury. Muscle and tendon tissues from its lower and upper parts were reconstructing themselves into many strip forms slowly seeking and reaching for each other. At their connection the lower part of the girl's leg slightly trembled seeming to have a life of its own, making a badly contained whimper to the heard.
The silvery haired promptly gazed at Minami's face at that noise. The large blue eyes were tightly shut with a hurting frown descending on them. The tension in her jawbone clearly showing how strongly the teeth were pressed together.
Then a sudden movement of her left leg startled him taking the attention back to the injury's place. The muscles were pushing the broken bone inside them and another abrupt motion made the Turks body give a little jump on its place as the femur cracked parts joined together. At the same time she gave away a brief and throaty hoarse moan while beating with the palm of her right hand on the ground. Once again her breathing became raged as beads of sweat started forming over her skin. It totally looked really painful.
But as soon as the leg stopped moving and the injury slowly closed itself the girl opened her eyes trying to calm down as the terrible pain subsided a little. However for some reason it was still there.
The Turk weakly stared in the Soldier's direction. He seemed too shocked and paralyzed to mutter even a single word.
"Sorry for the sedative dart." Minami started. Pain still filling her eyes. "I brought some in case I had to drag you out of here in an emergency…" Then she grimaced while trying to arrange her body in a more comfortable sitting position. "There's a certain quantity of that substance used on Soldiers if they have to pass for any kind of surgery…" She then started wondering. "Quite strange you're still awake. I thought it had the power to knock you out for some hours… and that thing's effects are instantaneous if you hit the jugular dead on… like I did…"
Sephiroth was still speechless but yet looking at her. Little time later she smiled at him. The hint of understanding passing those fluorescent blue orbs.
"That's how I survived in this place." The girl calmly spoke pointing to her previously injured leg seeming totally perfect again. "I may be a total freak… But it's quite useful on missions assigned for Turks."
The young man simply closed his eyes seeming to think a little and taking his thoughts back into place. He was still surprised and dizzy.
"I apologize for my behavior." He said after few seconds. "I don't think you're a… freak. But I've never seen such fast healing ability before…"
"Regenerating is a better word for it." She tranquilly corrected. "Healing usually leaves scars and the tissues will never be like they were once… Regenerating will reconstruct the tissues to be exactly the same way they were before, leaving no different marks…" Her attention where then on her left thigh.
The Soldier nodded accepting those explanations and as he felt his head start to clear up the slit pupils started seizing the space they were.
"We're safe here." Minami assured him noting the way he was looking at things. "The problem is only the hall and the chambers for their Mako Magnetism."
Being newly affected by illusions had not passed his mind at that time. Sephiroth was actually impressed with the state they left the place. He had not gone there previously but the fresh fight marks were quite evident. Masamune's first slash was recognizable at the other side of the abyss and it had done a great damage. Rocks were still falling as some loosened from the others. At the explorers' side there were three craters. The biggest one was between him and the Turk. A Second to his left side in the wall was almost perfectly round and fairly deep. The last one was in the wall and ground's joint. He was sitting in it.
His hands twitched at the sight meaning his movements were finally coming back although slowly.
Suddenly there was a small laugh. It was pretty amused and coming from the Turk's side. The Soldier thought she was perhaps beginning to experience another illusion because in his head the situation had nothing to be laughing about.
"Sorry… it's just that… I'm glad I'm not taller." The girl pause a little as she muffled the insistent giggle. "You almost cut my head off with that first blow!" Then another no-laughing attempt. "I remember I was following Tseng to Veld's office because I failed this mission when you went M.I.A. at the Valley…" And the tone was becoming pretty amusing again. "But then I felt something fast passing over my head and Boom! There were stones flying all around."
"… I almost… cut your head…" And that was a good time to be terribly amazed.
"Yes. I felt something passing like 1 to 5 inches over my head before waking up on the edge of the abyss by stones hitting me." She was still having fun while looking to his astonished face. "You kind of saved us."
Glad? Relieved? Ashamed? Sephiroth did not know what to really feel at that time.
"But then when I turned around you were hurrying in the precipice's way." The girl closed her eyes and leaned the back of her head against the rock resting it. "So I had to do something quickly."
"You chose to fight me…" He muttered wondering who would be imprudent enough to do that knowing who he was.
The Turk's eyes suddenly opened. Blue orbs attentively scanning the chocked co-worker.
"I don't know what the hell you saw there." Her tone sounded totally serious at that instant. "Yet, whatever it was, I'm sure you wouldn't stop to listen."
That was perfectly right. When he saw the war rolling around him everything was promptly forgotten just as she said before. His reality was a new one.
"By the way." Minami continued sounding lazily annoyed as usual. "I didn't choose to fight you." Her eyes then narrowed at him. "Me, fighting a 1º Class Soldier… Are you insane? I don't really have a death wish."
That remark only made the young man frown at her in confusion.
"I only pulled out the swords and used them as a distraction so I could sedate you." She evenly said as if accustomed to do it. "Then held you back enough time for it to work."
It was very Turk-like to use the easiest and faster way to finish things up. No matter the means. But either way… Choosing to confront him, risk her own life to save his? And coming to think of it, the Soldier never ever needed someone to save him like that time. Should he have been grateful… or pretty ashamed?
"Aaaaaaaaah…" The girl appeared to be loosing a little bit of her patience. "Bones take too long!" Then she started to get up slowly. "I don't really mind being cut or shot… I'm somewhat used to." Soon as on her feet she tried firming the body weight a little over the left leg. There was no expression of pain. "But I'll never get used to breaking bones…"
Confirming her leg was alright the Turk bent down to pick up the Blue Buster. And lifting it up like a plume she started tapping some of the dust off from its holder. The soldier couldn't stop himself of staring at that scene. And as soon as Minami thought it was clean enough with the right hand she extended it forward in the abyss direction. The Sword glowed for close to a second and then it disappeared. The fast light somehow entered one of the tiny bracelets he hadn't paid attention before.
"Can't move yet?" She asked taking Sephiroth out of his thoughts.
The young man tried to lift his arm and it promptly moved. He could also move his legs already though they were a little numb. But nothing that would hinder him from getting up. And when he stood up only had to lean a little on the wall as his head gave a light spin.
"Good!" She said while pushing the Green Buster from the ground and looking at its blade frowning again. "I'll have to send it for a fix…" And her fingers touched a small crack on the cutting steel side.
An uncomfortable silence suddenly fell between them. The Soldier felt a little awkward for finally finding a situation he couldn't really deal with alone. But it wasn't shown on his features. The Turk was still looking at her blade, yet her eyes seemed too far away at that minute.
"Well…" She hesitantly spoke. "I… have to ask you not to tell anyone about that absurd regenerating ability." Then a bitter smirk was on her lips. "There are too few on Shinra that know about it…"
"I won't." The Soldier quietly replied.
The girl just nodded at him when pointing the other sword to some place else and in a second of light the Green Buster was gone. However, she kept quiet thinking for a moment then looked ahead to the Abyss edge again.
"You know…" Minami started in a soft voice still looking that way. "I'm glad you're safe."
That suddenly made the young man feels light again. Just the same as when he saw she was breathing. Relieved he hadn't killed her. And not only that… There was a new feeling he never really felt in his life.
The feeling of being cared about. Also the one he strongly felt regarding the Turk when hearing her screams while in his moment of hallucination.
Sephiroth wanted to say something. But what could he say in that moment? He wondered. Thank you? No… Those words seemed to vanish in comparison.
Once he had heard that to care about and being cared after was the principle of a simple thing called Friendship. And if that between them was real… Indeed it felt quite good. It made him feel human again.
"Ok! No more slaking off for us." The Turk said. Her voice assumed the normal tone. "The chambers are the last place we need to go and take the final samples, thank the Gods!" She thought for a second longer and finally turned to face him. "No wait! We can't thank them before getting out of here." Then heading to the big hall she continued. "At least, no need to collect from all of them…"
They walked side by side this time, paying attention to one another. Too much had happened already for them to get a second dose. And they doubted this time lucky would be generous to them. Yet nothing else happened as they collected from 2 of those chambers and soon after, packing all samples together, the explorers finally left the underground.
And as they stepped again onto open space a final stare was spared to the river ending on that loud infinite waterfall. The sight was truly unique.
"Time to say good-bye, Oldstone… Chloch Aois." She said turning on her heels and leading the way back in a calm pace. "Since work is done, I don't think I'll be able to see you ever again…" The girl said that rather reverently as if the Valley had the intelligence to understand it.
"Are you sure there are no more places to collect?" The Soldier muttered quietly right behind her.
"That's right…" Then the Turk turned to face him. A suspicious grin playing on her features. "Unless you want to see what's in the end of the waterfall…"
And for the first time in those 3 days working together the fairly serious and professional Soldier openly smirked as well.
"I'd love to." He amusedly answered feeling a bit relaxed. Perhaps a little of her sarcasm ended up rubbing on him. "But unfortunately my insurance does not cover such a long freefall."
Again they arrived at the old house at sunset. And, though their eyes were already in their normal state, the shades of red and orange hadn't lost too much of its magnificence. It was slightly painting the whole village in the same colors.
There was not too much difference from the first day as they entered the provisory Laboratory's base. Save for one thing. Right after the samples were delivered to the scientists, Minami claimed she needed some sleep and excused herself going to a room in the second floor. The girl was indeed looking fairly tired on the whole way back. The Soldier felt a little guilty for her state. He was quite sure most part of her exhaustion was his fault.
However the young man was feeling a slight fatigue himself, although it wasn't coming from his body. He was experiencing mental exhaustion. His mind seemed to need some good rest after being so strangely played with. So before going to sleep, as expected, he did not want to touch any of those many books.
Early in the morning the Turk made a telephone call to her superiors letting them know that the samples collecting were successful. And since they did not have anything else to do in such a limited village as Oldstone, Director Lazard assured he would provide appropriate transportation for the material collected as well as the ones involved in the mission as soon as possible. So the assistants were ordered to carefully pack everything save for the samples that were already safe into a suitable valise designed especially to protect the transporters from a possible Mako contamination.
Although they were going to go back at that same day, probably at noon, the girl wasn't looking really pleased about returning. For that reason the Soldier got a little worried the time he noticed she simply disappeared from the house. Again he asked about her whereabouts and one of the assistants answered they've been told she would be back soon after visiting some of the old villagers. But after some time, hours perhaps, Sephiroth decided that her 'Soon' was taking too long.
He went outside deciding to take a walk around the place just to pass the time while he had to wait for the girl and for their transport. However, not too many steps away from the house, once more he felt the same questioning gaze on his back. Yet at that moment the young man did not have to look around. He knew exactly where it was coming from.
When he turned and looked up to the house's roof he promptly recognized that slightly tilted head and the usual little frown seeming to be saying 'Where are you going?'
Once again he decided to go up there and soon enough he was already seated on those really old roof tiles, gazing at the green distant forest in front of them.
"Can you believe this is the highest place I could find here?" She said after a long while of silence appearing to be a little annoyed about the fact.
The silvery head only nodded even though the girl was with her eyes fixed in the woods' direction. And they went back to that quiet appreciation of the distant trees slowly moving by the wind's wish until they finally heard the sound of helicopters coming in the Village's direction.
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TBC
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Oh my Gawd… we're almost at the end…